Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

At 6:15 a.m., Xiao Jianyun and the others successfully rejoined the main force. Xie Jinyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and asked with concern:

"Have you encountered any foreign police officers blocking your way?"

Xiao Jianyun spoke casually:

"No, those foreign devils, they'd rather avoid me."

Su Wanqing subconsciously turned to the side, moving a little further away from Xiao Jianyun, thinking to herself that this man was a liar who could lie without batting an eye—he had clearly killed all those police officers, some of whom had their necks snapped, yet he didn't even blink.

Xiao Jianyun's sharp gaze suddenly swept over Su Wanqing, who immediately felt a chill on her neck and was so frightened that she dared not complain in her heart anymore.

Xie Jin glanced at Su Wanqing and asked in confusion:

"Who is this?"

Before Su Wanqing could speak, Xiao Jianyun interrupted:

"This is Dr. Su. She thought we were too clumsy and offered to take care of Battalion Commander Yang along the way, so I brought her along."

Su Wanqing's temper was about to explode, but Xie Jinyuan's words of gratitude stopped her in time.

"Dr. Su, I am Xie Jinyuan. Thank you for taking care of Battalion Commander Yang."

"You're welcome, I'm a doctor, it's what I should do... What, you're Xie Jinyuan! Commander Xie who guards the Sihang Warehouse?"

Su Wanqing's eyes lit up with excitement, her voice trembling as she spoke, much like a girl from later generations idolizing her idol. Before Xie Jinyuan could nod, she chattered on and on:

"Commander Xie, in the International Settlement, everyone knows you and the Eight Hundred Heroes; you are all heroes!"

"I never expected to see you all here!"

Xiao Jianyun frowned. This was no time to talk about such things. He even regretted bringing Su Wanqing along.

"Commander Xie, let's set off immediately. I'm worried that the foreign devils have already discovered what's going on in the camp."

His concerns were not unfounded. If hundreds of people were rescued and not discovered by daybreak, the British would not deserve to be called the British Empire on which the sun never sets.

"Company Commander Xiao, you can handle the rest from here on out. We'll all follow your instructions."

Xie Jinyuan and the eight hundred heroes were all rescued by the Security Corps, so naturally they were willing to follow their lead.

Xiao Jianyun didn't mince words and immediately ordered them to set off: Platoon leader Yan Songyun led a squad to clear the way, while the other two squads guarded the flanks; all twenty-odd captured guns were distributed to the soldiers of the isolated battalion, arming two squads to hold the line.

To avoid implicating the Zhao family trading company, the group left the International Settlement directly. Any police officers blocking their way were quietly dealt with by Yan Songyun and his men. Along the way, they encountered many early risers, and everyone tacitly avoided them, pretending not to see the soldiers of the isolated army camp.

They successfully left the International Settlement, but the road ahead became increasingly dangerous, with scattered soldiers and Japanese troops everywhere. It took several clever maneuvers to barely avoid them.

In the consul's residence dining room at eight o'clock in the morning, sunlight streamed obliquely through the delicate bone china teaware. Charles Hill was gently stirring his Assam tea with a silver spoon, the milk foam forming delicate rings around the rim. The fried egg on the bone china plate was slightly browned, and the bacon was soaked in a thin layer of oil. He had just wiped his lips with a linen napkin, the coolness of the porcelain cup still lingering on his fingertips. His entire demeanor exuded the leisurely pace of an English morning, even his breathing was imbued with gentlemanly restraint.

The moment the door was flung open, a silver spoon struck the rim of a cup, its sharp sound shattering the silence. The assistant stumbled in, his voice breathless:

"Consul! The Chinese people detained in Jiaozhou Park have vanished overnight, and our guards... have all been killed!"

Hill's fingers tightened abruptly around the spoon handle, his knuckles turning white. His previously gentle and calm expression snapped, the composure in his eyes instantly shattered by shock and anger. He abruptly looked up, his lips, which had been lightly pursed, hardened into a cold, hard curve. A low, hoarse groan escaped his throat. Forgetting all pretense of decorum, he swept the tea set aside—the bone china cup and saucer crashed onto the walnut table, red tea mixed with milk splashing onto his neatly pressed shirt cuffs. The aroma of fried eggs and bacon was completely dispelled by the sudden surge of anger.

"waste!"

He growled, his previous gentlemanly demeanor completely gone, his chest heaving violently, his eyes churning with rage and terror:

"A bunch of good-for-nothings! They couldn't even keep an eye on a few people, who did this?"

"This is blatant contempt for the British Empire; it's a declaration of war!"

He abruptly stood up, the dining chair scraping loudly on the floor. The napkin he had just used to wipe his lips was crumpled and slammed onto the messy table. There was no trace of the elegance he had displayed when sharing morning tea at eight o'clock.

The matter was of utmost importance; even the assistant's voice trembled.

"Sir Consul, all the guards died from cold weapons. The shift change personnel only found a few bodies of East Asians at the scene. Judging from their attire and appearance, they seemed to be Japanese samurai."

Upon hearing that he was Japanese, Hill's arrogance noticeably diminished, though he remained outwardly fierce but inwardly weak.

"Prepare the car. Come with me immediately to the Japanese consulate. I need them to give the British Empire a reasonable explanation. The dignity of the Empire cannot be challenged!"

Inside the Japanese consulate, Consul Gotsu was roaring angrily:

"Baka yarou! This is a frame-up, a Chinese conspiracy!"

Assistant Okamoto Jujuro replied in a deep voice:

"The attackers not only killed all the White Russian guards, but also rescued the isolated battalion. It is said that officers from the International Merchant Guild found several corpses at the scene, all of whom were Imperial warriors."

Imai Gouji slammed his fists on the desk and roared:

"How many times have I told you? This is a conspiracy by the Chinese!"

Just then, another staff member shakily entered and reported:

"Your Excellency, Mr. Hill, the Consul of the British Empire, is here to visit."

"not see!"

Okamoto Jujuro coughed lightly and advised:

"Sir, perhaps you should listen to what the British have to say; the problem still needs to be solved."

Imai Goichi nodded, knowing that running away was futile.

Led by Okamoto, Hill stormed in, his face grim, looking ready to draw his sword at the slightest provocation.

Imai Goki forced a fake smile:

"Mr. Hill, what brings you here?"

Hill wasn't buying it at all and took the initiative:

"Mr. Imai, there's no need to play dumb. Is your country declaring war on the British Empire?"

Imai Gotsu feigned confusion:

"Mr. Hill, the friendship between Britain and Japan has a long history. Why do you say that?"

"Mr. Imai, do you think you can get away with pretending to be ignorant about your country's attack on British territory?" Hill said coldly. "We have verified that the bodies left at the scene by the attackers were indeed those of your country's samurai. The evidence of those samurai's clothing cannot be faked."

"A frame-up! Someone definitely framed us!" Imai Gouji retorted urgently. "The isolated battalion is holding Chinese people; they have every motive to do this!"

"Mr. Imai, I need evidence," Hill said sharply. "Otherwise, your country will face the wrath of the British Empire!"

Imai Goki already harbored a deep-seated fear of the British Empire, and moreover, Japan was at war with China at the time, so he would never dare to make another powerful enemy.

"Mr. Hill, please give us some time, and we will certainly give you a satisfactory answer."

Hill snorted coldly:

"It's not for me, it's for the British Empire."

Watching Hill storm off in a huff, Imai's forced smile vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling glint in his eyes.

"They number in the hundreds; they couldn't have simply vanished into thin air. Send brave warriors to search the area around Shanghai, dig three feet into the ground, and find them!"

At the temporary command post of the Security Regiment, Zhao Yunwen had already noticed the unusual movements of the Japanese troops. Although the reconnaissance company had rescued the isolated battalion, an even greater crisis was quietly approaching.

The Japanese soldiers want to stop the isolated battalion, but they'll have to ask for his permission first! Zhao Yunwen shouted in a deep voice:

"Chief of Staff, order the 2nd Security Regiment to send a battalion to accompany me to meet Commander Xie and his men!"

"Commander-in-Chief, it's too risky for you to go yourself. Let me go!"

"This mission is fraught with danger; only my personal presence can ensure success," Zhao Yunwen said resolutely. "Execute the order!"